The Courtauld was delighted to host ARTiculation 2020 London Heat on Tuesday 14 January 2020, welcoming nine local schools and colleges participating in the event.
ARTiculation is a national public speaking initiative, designed to promote and support young people in looking, thinking and speaking about visual culture. It engages young people, regardless of background or experience with art, providing a platform on which students can develop their confidence and ability to express their opinions, thoughts and ideas. Over 1,000 students enter The ARTiculation Prize in England every year.
The event was adjudicated by Dr Emily Mann, Early Career Lecturer in Early Modern Art at The Courtauld, who selected two students to go through to the London Regional Final at the National Gallery in London on Friday 28 February, 1.30-4.30pm. Winners Emilly Santos and Poppy Sendell captivated and impressed the audience with their talks on Yayoi Kusama’s, ‘The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away’ (2013), and Jenny Saville’s ‘Branded’ (1992). There were wide range of talks, from Carvaggio’s Salome with the Head of St John the Baptist (1607) to Gillian Ayres’ Hampstead Murals (1957) to Kara Walker’s Fons Americanus (2019).
Professor Deborah Swallow, Märit Rausing Director commented: “We are thrilled to welcome ARTiculation to The Courtauld for the fourth consecutive year. I was very impressed with the very quality of the young speakers, who all performed tremendously well. We look forward to continuing to support ARTiculation, and to welcoming students back to The Courtauld.”
The winners of Tuesday’s heat will be attending the Regional Final which will be adjudicated by Dr James Fox, art historian & broadcaster. He will select one speaker to go through to the Grand Final. The Grand Final will be adjudicated by Courtauld alumnus Sir Nicholas Serota CH, Chair, Arts Council England.